After Dark (Completed)

Season 1: Episode 15

I watched as the clouds drift past by the window.

The urge to go back pulled at my heart squeezing it tightly, I fought against it and won but doesn't mean the urge left completely I still felt the great need to smash open the helicopter's window, squeeze myself through it and jump down, to whatever lies beneath.

I felt someone squeeze my hand and it turned out to be Irena. Her eyes were closed but I could tell she was awake.

Her hands felt cold which betrayed her calm demeanor. She told me once that her hands gets unnaturally cold whenever she was anxious or petrified.

I squeezed back and it calmed me down a bit.

I could think straight once more without my thoughts drifting towards jumping to my death.

Not for the first time, my thoughts drifted towards the place. And this time, I didn't try to take my mind off it.

I had to face it and be strong not only for myself but also for Irena and maybe even Roddy.

I looked to the back of the helicopter to see Roddy and two other dogs placed in a carrier.

The other two dogs which were Weimaraner looked like what they really are, hunting dogs while Roddy looked totally different from them being a Tibetan terrier.

The dogs were going to help us find the predators quickly by sniffing the air for their scent and leading us to them.

I watched as they tried to intimidate Roddy because of their heights by baring their teeth at him and to my amusement Roddy bared his teeth back of them that for a moment I thought he was the hunting dog not them.

They shrunk back when they realised that Roddy wasn't going to back down.

Pride swelled in me and I caught myself smiling totally forgetting what awaits me.

On remembering that my smile dropped but I smiled again anyways.

I wasn't about to spend probably my last hours wallowing in sadness at what is to come.

A Valkyrie isn't afraid of war. She faces it squarely with one thing in mind. To be victorious.
Because she is made for that purpose.

That calmed me down. It's the quote I formed for myself to calm me down whenever I'm scared.

I love Valkyries and will do anything to be like them so adding the name was all it took to make me calm enough to study the map in the projector in front of us.

I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to read the places written on the map in tiny letters but couldn't. I tried to remember what was missing and I did. My glasses. I forgot it at home.

I sighed and looked out the window again. I guess I have no choice but to sleep now. making myself comfortable on the seat, i stretched. I was soon woken by something wet lapping at my face.

I opened my eyes to see Roddy on Irena's lap. She was awake already and was busy patting Roddy's back with a sad look on her face.

¶•¶•¶•¶

'Hey Buddy'. I said sleepily.

'Woof'. He said weakly.

I could tell the trip was taking a toll on all of us. Even the others, some were asleep while some where looking out of the window.

'We'll be safe OK?'.

'Grr'. Roddy made a threatening sound with his teeth as if to say that he will take out anything that comes our way. I chuckled.

'Scared?'. I heard someone say at my back and turned to see Adrianna and Lucas.

'What?'.

'You heard me right'. Adrianna smirked.

The girl was starting to get on my nerves and I was considering pulling her hair so hard till i get it all on the floor.

'Yeah. Everyone is'. I said rolling my eyes.

"Except me'. She drawled and smirked as if it was the greatest achievement. We had a staring contest for a while but I blinked when someone cleared their throat. My eyes was immediately glued to Lucas's.

'Err-- I think it's time'.

I gave him a weird look.

'To get off'.

'What?'. Adrianna and I said in unison and threw each other looks after.

'I mean, we've arrived'.

While we Adrianna and I were busy with ourselves we didn't notice the helicopter landing.

My heart started to beat fast and I turned to see people getting off the aeroplane, Irena and Roddy among them. She motioned for me to come and I did. We both jumped down at the same time and looked around.

The helicopter was in front of a range of high mountains.
The mountains were endless and went as high as 2,655metres. There was a river in front of it which flowed into a space between two separate mountains.
There was a signboard which says 'The Carpathians mountains'".

'Wow'. I heard beside me.

'It looks so... Breathtaking'. Irena exclaimed.

'I know right'.

'We were scared for nothing, this place doesn't look scary unlike what I imagined'. I said relieved.

'Wait'. Irena said.

'Didn't she say we were to be dropped at the west of the Carpathian mountains?'.

'Oh'. My poor knowledge of geography was really a bad thing considering where I was.

I heard Irena gasp.

I noticed she had turn and turned to face her direction when I saw it. I gasped too.

'Is--is that w-where we're going?'. I asked.

'Looks like it'.

'Oh God'.

'No it's not God, it's a huge and thick forest'.

'I know'.

'Chuff, chuff, chuff'. We both looked to see the helicopter taking off.

'So we're on our own aren't we?'.

'We still have the others'. Irena pointed out.

'Oh yeah, I forgot'. I looked at the others. Some had their jaws in almost down to their feet, some looked like they were about to make a run for it, and a girl was actually crying. I think Sia. We all stood there for what seemed like hours when Lucas finally broke the silence.

'Let's move'. He said strolling ahead with Adrianna by his side.

Then I know it he'd be our leader throughout this dreaded journey.

¶•¶•¶•¶